A classical tabla virtuoso of the highest order, Zakir Hussain has established himself as a national treasure in India, as well as in the contemporary world music movement. His playing is marked by uncanny intuition and masterful improvisational dexterity found while studying under his legendary father, Ustad Alla Rakha, the longtime tabla player for Ravi Shankar.

Hussain has long been a favorite accompanist for India’s greatest classical musicians and dancers, and has performed with artists as diverse as George Harrison, YoYo Ma, Pharoah Sanders, Ravi Shankar, and Mark Morris. The concert will begin with an Indian classical dance program by leading Bharata Natyam (South Indian classical) dancer Mythili Prakash and Ensemble and is presented as part of India Calling, a three-day festival celebrating the arts and culture of India.